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Answers to Common Questions about Volleyball Stats

#1 Q: Do you count the first contact of a "free ball" as a dig?
A: No, a dig can only be tallied from an attacked ball-an overhead attempt
to score a point. Likewise, a free ball is not considered an attack attempt.

#2 Q: When an attacker is stuff blocked (the block ends play), does it
count as a block and an attack error?
A: Yes, a block which ends play is counted as an attack error for the
hitter and a block for the opponent.

#3 Q: When an attacker has an attack blocked, but play continues, does
the opponent get credit for a block?
A: No, in order to receive a block solo or block assist, the block must
end play. Touches on the block are not counted as blocks.

#4 Q: Is a service ace awarded only when a serve drops to the opponent's
floor untouched by the receiving team?
A: No, a service ace is awarded any time a served ball falls untouched,
or cannot be kept in play by the receiving team ("shanked" pass),
or the receiver is called for an illegal attempt to play the ball, or
if the receiving team is called out of rotation by the official.

#5 Q: Is a reception error awarded every time a service ace is awarded?
A: Yes. If the served ball lands between two players, the statistician
can either determine who should have played the ball, giving that player
a reception error, or a "team" reception error can be recorded
if the statistician is unable or unwilling to make the decision. Only
one reception error is recorded for each service ace.

#6 Q: If an attacker is called for an illegal contact on an attempted
"tip", is it recorded as a ball handling error or an attack
error?
A: The error should be recorded as an attack error. This applies also
to a setter attempting to dump the ball and being called for an illegal
contact-it should count as an attack error.

#7 Q: If a player serves out of rotation, who is charged with the service
error?
A: The error is charged to the player who SHOULD have been serving.

#8 Q: Is a dig recorded for a player who makes an amazing touch on opponent's
attack, but the ball does not remain is play?
A: No, the dug ball must remain in play on the digger's side of the net
or the opponent's side of the net to count as a dig.

#9 Q: Should a blocker receive a blocking error when an opposing attacker
scores a kill off the block ("tooling the blocker")?
A: No, a blocking error should only be charged when a blocker is called
for a net violation, center line violation or illegally reaching over
the net or blocking from the back row. A good hit by the opponent is awarded
as a kill, not an error by the opponents. However, when a blocking error
is called, a kill is awarded to the attacker.

#10 Q: If two players go up to block an attack attempt and only one of
them actually blocks the ball to end play, are both players awarded a
block assist?
A: Yes, even if only one of the blockers actually blocks the ball, both
players are awarded a block assist. The philosophy is that the action
of cutting off an angle might have assisted in the successful block. A
block solo is awarded when only one player goes up and blocks the ball.

#1 Q: Should side-out points be counted in points per rotation stats
if rally scoring is used?
A: Yes, side-out points are included in point totals in each rotation.

Q: Do stats count on rallies if a replay is called?
A: No, stats do not count if a rally ends with a replay call.

Q: If a triple block assist is recorded, how is it counted in team blocks?
A: At the moment (and it is an active discussion issue), team blocks get
a credit of 1.5 blocks for triple blocks.

Q: What constitutes a legal attack by a libero?
A: A libero is only allowed to attack a ball which is not entirely above
the top of the net, regardless of where the libero is on the floor. It
is not legal for a libero to attack a ball which is entirely above the
top of the net from anywhere on the court. (Note: This is a revision to
what was originally published here.)